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Commencement Office209.946.2666commencement@pacific.eduOffice of the PresidentErika GreetCommencement and University Events Specialist

President's Welcome

Dear Class of 2017 Students, Parents and Families,

I am delighted to invite you to University of the Pacific's 2017 Commencement. Students, congratulations on your impending graduation! Families, I share your pride in your student's wonderful accomplishment.

Our annual All-University Commencement will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. in the Alex G. Spanos Center. We will confer all degrees and recognize outstanding student and faculty leaders. We also expect to award honorary degrees to distinguished public figures. This ceremony is for all Stockton campus schools and the College of the Pacific, with the exception of the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy & Health Sciences. The Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy & Health Services will hold its own Commencement on Saturday, May 20,2017, at 9:00 a.m. in the Alex G. Spanos Center. I hope to see all Pharmacy and Health Sciences graduating students and their families on May 20th at this remarkable event.

Immediately following the May 13th All-University Commencement, each of the schools and the College will conduct its own separate Diploma and Hooding Ceremony to cap off Pacific's highly personalized educational experience. Each ceremony allows Deans to recognize students individually as they cross the platform to receive their diploma. The Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy & Health Sciences will hold one single ceremony on May 20th that will also include its highly personalized student celebration.

Students, you have received a rich and unique education. Pacific places student learning first and equips graduates to be citizen leaders in their careers and communities. In addition to earning a degree in a particular field, you will graduate with an aptitude for critical and creative thinking, skills in leadership and communication, a multicultural and international outlook, and a strong sense of ethical responsibility to one another and the world around you.

As you step out beyond Pacific, know that as our reputation as a leading teaching-focused university continues to rise, so too will the value of your degree. Our future is bright. Building on the legacy of the late former Regents Robert and Jeannette Powell, who gave $125 million to the University, we are working with our generous donors to increase access and enhance the education we provide. We have increased and diversified our offerings at our Sacramento and San Francisco campuses, amplifying our impact and service in those important cities. And we continue to serve our communities with profound dedication.

Please know that you will always be a member of the Pacific Family. One key goal of our bold strategic plan, Pacific 2020, is to enhance our relationship with alumni and friends, and to ensure that our graduates and their families become Pacificans for life. We want to keep in touch with you, hear about your achievements, provide continuing education opportunities, and continue to serve you throughout your lives.

As you make your plans for Commencement Weekend, I invite you to join me at an Interfaith Baccalaureate ceremony on Friday, May 12th at 4:00 p.m. in Morris Chapel. The Baccalaureate tradition of the "Last Lecture" is not to be missed! Our students will receive some final wisdom from one of our stellar faculty members to guide them as they step out into the world. This year we will also launch a new tradition: a Graduation Reception on Friday, May 12th, at 5:00 p.m. on Weber Lawn. Open to all, this provides a wonderful opportunity to relax and reflect on the graduates' accomplishments, and spend time with the faculty and staff who helped them achieve their dreams.

I look forward to celebrating with you at Commencement 2017. Congratulations again to all our students and their families on reaching this important milestone.